Science says that happiness is 50 percent genetic, 10 percent circumstances, and 40 percent intentional activity (i.e., what you do). With so much happiness attributed to your own actions, it makes sense to do things that make you feel good.
Easier said than done, no doubt - especially when you can't see past your own dread, which can be addictive itself, believe me-I have been there. When you find yourself it a funk rut, and you actually can not remember the last time you laughed, I mean really laughed, this negative outlook can actually become your comfort zone! Anything else is actually foreign and it feels terrifying, but try to look at it this way: What do you have to lose? You couldn't feel any worse and I promise these excercises are not dangerous....
Take a deep breath and give one or all of these a try (If I can do it-you can do it!):
1.) Excercise helps release endorphins which will boost your spirits immediately. There are so many different excercise regimes out there I can't even count them all but I am certain that there is one for you! Look for one that will target issues that you need to work on like relaxation, weight loss or strength building. I discovered my favorite quite by accident one day while listening to the radio. In my search for an inspiring tune, I found several that had me up and dancing in no time. Surprise! My endorphins were so thrilled that I did not want to stop and my mood was lifted instantly. Click here for more excercise benefits!
2.) Do something nice for someone-you know, show random acts of kindness? It is absolutely amazing how humbling this is, and it will remind you that perhaps, you are actually very fortunate and have so much to be grateful for. But we all need a little reminder now and then so get up and get busy! Volunteer to teach something to a group of young people who otherwise wouldn't have a chance to take a private piano lesson or afford a foreign language tutor. Love animals? Check out the local wildlife rescue and be a critter's hero. We all have something that we can share, if you need help finding the best match check out Volunteer Match, there are many helpful tasks that you can do without even leaving home! That's what I call room service! http://www.volunteermatch.org/
3.) What makes you happy? Write about it. Start a daily journal and write down your feelings about daily occurances-positive, negative, happy or sad. In retrospect, we can actually learn quite a bit about ourselves and our goals just by reading about our behavior. Another plus? It is a very cost-effective way to obtain therapy. Like Dr. Phil says, we can't change what we don't acknowledge... You don't have to be a Dr. Phil fan to objectively reflect on your own life.
